SENSE OF CONGRESS RELATING TO THE CHEMICAL DECONTAMINATION TRAINING FACILITY, FORT MCCLELLAN, ALABAMA.

SEC. 1074. SENSE OF CONGRESS RELATING TO THE CHEMICAL DECONTAMINATION TRAINING FACILITY, FORT MCCLELLAN, ALABAMA. (a) Findings.—Congress makes the following findings: (1) The possibility of use of chemical weapons by Iraqi forces was the most significant military threat confronted by members of the Armed Forces of the United States who served in the Persian Gulf region in connection with Operation Desert Storm. (2) There continues to be extreme concern with respect to the ever more rapid proliferation of chemical weapons and agents, especially among nations in the Middle Blast. (3) This proliferation makes it increasingly necessary that members of the Armed Forces have the capability of self-defense against chemical weapons and agents. (4) Combat training with live chemical agents directly promotes this capability by reducing the life-threatening fear and self doubt that some soldiers experience on a battlefield contaminated by chemical weapons or agents. (5) Such training further promotes this capability by enhancing the professional credibility of the members of the Armed Forces who train others with respect to chemical weapons and agents. (6) The Chemical Decontamination Training Facility (CDTF) located at Fort McClellan, Alabama, is the only facility for 105 STAT. 1479conducting combat training with live chemical agents in the Western Hemisphere. (7) The operations of the Chemical Decontamination Training Facility depend upon the support activities of the Army Chemical School which is also located at Fort McClellan, Alabama. (8) The Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission has reported that the closure or diminished operation of the Chemical Decontamination Training Facility could have an adverse impact on the capability of the Armed Forces to defend against the use of chemical weapons and agents and, thus, on the national security of the United States. (9) The capability of members of the Armed Forces to defend against chemical weapons and agents depends upon maintaining a fully operating facility for conducting combat training with live chemical agents located in the Western Hemisphere including maintaining associated support activities. (b) Sense of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that the necessity for the Armed Forces to have an effective live chemical agent training facility requires that the Chemical Decontamination Training Facility and the Army Chemical School be continued in operation at Fort McClellan, Alabama, unless a new facility for conducting combat training with live chemical agents is constructed.